Vladimir Kramnik vs Andrey Esipenko Match Kicks Off in Rostov-on-Don
Day one finished 1.5-1.5.
The match between the 14th World Champion Vladimir Kramnik and the leader of the young generation of the Russian chess players, the 21-year-old Andrey Esipenko, has kicked off in Rostov-on-Don. The opponents will play 6 games in rapid on February 18-19, and after a day off on February 20 with scheduled lectures and simuls, they will play a blitz match of 24 games on February 21-22.
Day one saw a grand opening - the Deputy Governor of the Rostov region Artem Khokhlov, the Executive Director of the Chess Federation of Russia Alexander Tkachev, the President of the Rostov Region Chess Federation Arutyun Surmalyan and other guests of honour welcomed the audience. The drawing of lots took place, with Vladimir Kramnik playing White in the game one. Artem Khokhlov opened the first game with 1.e2-e4.
There was a relatively short draw in the first game - Esipenko parried White's attempts to get any advantage in the Ruy Lopez and the game soon fizzled out to a draw. In the second game there was a big fight - in the French Defence the host player pushed on the kingside, but the former World Champion immediately complicated the game and managed to create dangerous threats for the white king. In time trouble, the younger participant performed imprecisely, and Vladimir Kramnik's energetic play won him the game.
In game three, the distinguished guest attacked furiously, sacrificing an exchange and then a knight, but the second sacrifice was ill-timed. Andrey Esipenko thwarted the threats and managed to maintain and convert his material advantage.
The first day ended 1.5:1.5. February 19 has three more rapid games in store for us.
Info and photos are provided by the press service of the match
